Former President Goodluck Jonathan has cautioned against the imposition of a one-party system through political manipulation, warning that such a move could plunge Nigeria into confusion and anarchy.
Speaking in Abuja at the Memorial Lecture and Day of Tribute for the late elder statesman and South-South leader, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, Jonathan said that while one-party systems have worked in some countries under special circumstances, Nigeria’s complex political structure cannot sustain such a model if imposed undemocratically.
“A one-party state may not be evil — Julius Nyerere used it to unite Tanzania — but it was done procedurally, not by accident or manipulation,” Jonathan said. “If we attempt it through the back door, we’re in trouble. It will suffocate the country and lead to anarchy.”
Jonathan’s remarks come amid a wave of defections from opposition parties — including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)—to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), sparking fears of creeping authoritarianism.
The former President also paid glowing tribute to Clark, describing him as a fearless patriot and father figure whose shoes cannot be filled.
“You can’t replace E.K. Clark in the Niger Delta. He was courageous, had a sharp memory, and stood tall in every national conversation. The best way to honour his legacy is through annual lectures to educate the younger generation on what he stood for.”
Other dignitaries present at the event held at the NAF Conference Centre included former Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd), LP’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, Prof. Jerry Gana, Ohanaeze Ndigbo’s Chief John Nwodo, PANDEF Chairman Amb. Godknows Igali, and Niger Delta activist Ankio Briggs, among others.
In his tribute, Gowon, under whom Clark served as Federal Commissioner for Information, praised the late statesman’s role in promoting reconciliation, rehabilitation, and reconstruction after the civil war.
“He was a passionate advocate of one Nigeria and true federalism. We must not let his contributions be forgotten,” Gowon said.
In a keynote lecture titled “Quest for Unity, Equity and Justice in Nigeria: Shall the Labour of Our Heroes Past Be in Vain?”, constitutional lawyer and rights advocate Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN, called for a complete overhaul of Nigeria’s political and legal structures.
He decried what he described as a pseudo-federal system and emphasized the need for a people-driven constitution and credible elections as the bedrock of national unity.
“We must stop glorifying ill-gotten wealth. Our leaders must serve with integrity and accountability. We need a system that rewards competence, not tribalism or connections,” Ozekhome said, drawing parallels with China’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption.
He stressed the urgency of electoral reform ahead of the 2027 elections and underscored the role of institutions like INEC, the judiciary, and the armed forces in safeguarding democracy.
Clark, who passed away in February at the age of 97, will be laid to rest on May 13 in his hometown of Kiagbodo, Delta State.
The memorial, jointly organised by PANDEF and the Clark family, celebrated the life of a man revered as a relentless champion of
